kitty: Blackthorn Needles - review

Over the last couple of months there seems to have been a lot of buzz going on about the Blackthorn Needles. I picked up a pair in November since as we all know I cannot resist new brands of DPN's or vintage ones that I haven't tried before. The fact that they are made out of Carbon really intrigued me. Though I have to admit the first time I read that I was wondering if the carbon would rub off on the yarn (It doesn't of course.) The needles are interesting to say the least. The points are amazing. The shafts are very sturdy, even with my tight grip I don't feel like I am going to snap them in half. Did I mention the points? Ok.. I digress on that one. My problem with them too be honest is that they feel sticky and have to much grip for me. Since I am a thrower and slider by nature I found it really bothersome to physically have to stop and move my stitches up. I could see this as a big benefit if I was working with a really slick yarn that falls off the needle, but not for a merino wool as pictured above. They are also available in teeny tiny sizes and small sizes. 0000 - 4 US and 4,6, and 8 inches long. Being available in such small sizes is something that will get me to buy another pair even with the grippyness dislike. I just wish they were available in 0000 circulars with a Holtz & Stein type join.

Blackthorn Needles Teeny Tiny Sizes 0000, 000, 00, 0 0 US Small Sizes 1,2,3,4 - US Website Ravelry Group

kitty: Hiya Hiya 9 inch circular needles - Needle News

Hiya Hiya - 9inch Bamboo Needles Some of you may remember how I ranted and raved about the old Clover plastic needles way back when. I absolutely treasure those needles and I was so sad when I heard they were discontinued. I had always hoped they would bring the entire line into the country. I even stopped by the Clover booth to talk to both the Japanese and the US representatives about those needles and the interchangeable needles MG has always wanted. So much to my surprise when I stopped by the Hiya Hiya booth they showed me there new needle. A little 9 inch bamboo or stainless circular. I was really hesitant to even try the needles since I have to say I am not a big fan of Hiya Hiya needles. The tips are usually to blunt and since the needle is hallow I am always afraid I will just crush the needle. Then I picked up the bamboo needle. It is heaven. I stood there and knitted 10 rows just talking to the US sales person. I was so happy they even come in small sizes so perfect for socks. So the needles themselves are not perfect, the tips are a little scratchy and the points are just ok. But the size is just perfect and look at those little needles who wouldn't think they are cute. One online shop and another one that MG found that carries them.

kitty: Holtz and Stein available at Catherine Knits

I am needle obsessed. It is probably has been clear for awhile about that matter. I enjoy trying multiple brands, different materials, seeing what tips work best for me and it has becomes an obsessive hunt for a completes. So my big news is that Catherine at Catherine Knits in Brooklyn just got in her yearly shipment of Holtz & Stein this morning. They have arrived: sizes are from 2.5mm through 4.0 in rosewoods, including 3.25 and 3.75. DPNs are in the same range. Holtz & Stein Sizes 2.5mm =   US1 3.0mm =   US2 3.25mm = US3 3.75mm = US5 (for the US market only) 3.5mm =   US4 4.0mm =   US6 Note: I have ordered from Catherine twice now, and it was a delight both times. The order arrived well packaged and quickly after I placed the order. Though she warned me this morning she is swamped.

kitty: Crochet Needle Conversion Chart

Crochet Needle Conversion Chart previous - Knitting Needle Conversion Chart One of my favorite things to do is ebay snipe crafting equipment. Needles obviously are my favorite and much to no ones surprise I have started to look for crochet hooks now. I have been picking up a lot of old British needles so I had no idea what there sizes actual mean, so I went through a lot of the online retail sites and worked up a chart. Hope it is helpful to others.

kitty: finding the perfect tool part 2

"Knitting is NOT about making a garment, it is about relaxing. So we need perfect knitting needles." Hiya Hiya Finding The Perfect Tool Part 2: A couple of months ago I posted a review about my collection of DPN's in my search for Finding the Perfect Tool. Well it has become obvious that I am totally 100% obsessed with knitting needles. I find myself trying just about any new needle that I run across. So here are 8 more needles to add to my quest in finding the perfect tool.

A) Kudumisvarras E) Knit Picks avail B) Golding avail F) Celtic Swan avail C) Grafton Fibers comp - avail G) Hiya Hiya comp - avail D) Surina comp - avail H) Holtz & Stein comp - avail

A) Kudumisvarras (Estonian Reproduction Knitting Needles from tomb relics from the 13th century) - size pictured is between US 00 & 000 - Previous Post The tips on these needles are a little insane, to actually knit with them I have to pull out my Japanese leather thimble to protect my left index finger. ( My normal style of knitting is Armenian Throwing) The balance of the needles are really amazing especially for needles so thin and so long. I thought that the unevenness of needles would be annoying, but the reality is I can certainly see the merits of the different lengths. This is particularly nice when you want to stop for the night and need to wrap off the ends when knitting socks. B) Golding - sized pictured is US 0/pointed/slip finish - I really don't think I have felt needles like these before. The finish is almost sticky. When you rub the needles in one direction the are extremely slick, but the opposite direction has a nice tooth that keeps your yarn on the needles. The points are amazing, but really would you have expected less from Golding? I am currently knitting 2 strands of lace weight cashmere on them and I haven't come even close to dropping a stitch. Negative: These needles really feel fragile in your hands. I find myself knitting at about half my normal sock speed because I am so scared of snapping it in half or warping the needle. My clover DPN's will forever be nice bell curves, but make great cable needles. So I guess that is a plus. C) Grafton Fibers - pictured in a US size 1 - I recently read a review on Caludia's blog about how much she was in love with these needles and I can honestly say I understand why. I would be the first to say needles are a personal thing. A couple of years ago Blue Blog ranted and raved about Comfort zone needles and since I really valued her opinion I bought an entire set. Only to find that knitting a row on them caused sever shoulder pain that lasted for over a week. The nicest thing about these needles is the fact they are heavy. Even though you are holding a tiny needle they have a nice sturdiness to the needle. The points remind me a lot of the feel of knitting with addi circulars. The surface is very smooth and I haven't had any problems with the needles slipping out. All and All I am really happy with these needles. Negative: I am not really sold on the multi-coloured texture. I wish I could find them in a solid colour but the availability seems a little hard. D) Surina - sized pictured is a US1- I really don't have positive or negative feelings about these needles. I just never pick these needles up when starting socks. E) Knit Picks - sized pictured is a US1- I LOVE LOVE LOVE Knit picks DPN - Bottom line, I like a needle that is heavy, won't snap in half with my grip, and has nice pointy tips that don't draw blood. Those are the qualities that I look for in a needle. Now if it happens to have a textural quality that helps the stitches stay on the needles all the better. I have the full set now of the DPN's and I am very happy with the needles. Is is my favorite stand by for any project. F) Celtic Swan - sized picture is a US1.5 - The needles are works of art. The tips and the scroll work on the needles are truly beautiful. So, I really wish that I could say wonderful things about knitting with the needles. Negative: They weigh a ton, if you think Knit Picks needles are heavy these will feel like dead weight in your hands. The tips are too blunt for me to knit with fine yarns. And the biggest problem is, that my hands just stink after knitting with them. I will reserve these needles if I ever need to do a demo where I want the object to be pretty. G) Hiya Hiya - sized picture is a US1.5 - The points are ok, but the needles are hollow so they lack the balance that I am prefer when knitting. Also they posses the same major negative that the Celtic Swan needles have if not worse, my hands just stunk after I knit with them and my socks also smelled like wet metal. yummmm... not.... I would have to be truly desperate to use these again H) Holtz & Stein - sized picture is a US4 - To be honest I have never knitted with these DPN's. Since I really don't knit socks on yarn that thick and haven't had a cause for DPN's in normal knitting. So I can only speak to my love of knitting with there circulars. PURE HEAVEN IN A NEEDLE! I would replace all of my circular needles in a heart beat with Holtz & Stein needles if I could actually find them to buy. Oh and there is also that cost element.

I would like to proclaim that I have found the perfect tool, but that would not be any fun. I am a kid on Christmas morning when I find a new needle to try. I certainly have favorites, but I guess I am still looking for that perfect tool

kitty: updated knitting needle and crochet hook conversion charts

Just wanted to let you know that I just added a few other brands to the Knitting Needle and Crochet Hook Conversion Charts US / UK/ Metric/ Japanese page on the site. I am currently on a quest to find a brand that is available in the US that stocks a 4.8mm needle or a Japanese size 9. So far I haven't had any luck what so ever. So while I have been on manufactures sites, I though I might as well update my charts. Currently I have been using my Holtz & Stein Rosewood size 5.0mm to substitute for a 4.8mm since when I measured the needle it actually measured 4.85mm instead of the marking, which was 5.0mm. I have only been fortunate/lucky enough to pick up 3 pairs of Holz & Stein needles, but the ones that I own all measure .05mm to .15 mm smaller than the actual marked measurements. Even with the questionable sizes I am more than glad to overlook this problem for the joins alone on the needles. By far these are my favorite circular needles on the market. (I got mine from Knitty Noddy if you are looking for them)

kitty: rare treasures in odd places

This past weekend started this year’s Game Convention season for my M and I. This year though things are even more crazy since E3 started yesterday. Nothing like back-to-back game conventions to make big kids happy or is it crazy. :) A little history though, before there were video games for the computers and game console there was paper role-playing games. A lot of today’s top designers actually got there start playing those paper games and board games. Yes, D&D is still around today. Origins represent the second largest paper role-playing convention in the US. As you can imagine with the video game market flourishing the paper role-playing games are essentially hitting another dead period. The dealer room has also hit a lull for new products. This year there were a lot of Historical Reenactment dealers to fill the empty spots. Though there is a genera of games that are called Larps where people dress like their characters, there isn't a lot of cross overs. So most of these dealers sat at their booths looking at the passing by gamers. Since I had a lot of time to kill this year, I made a point to at least stop at all of their displays and say hello to them. Nothing worse than to have a both at a convention and no one stops in my opinion. One of the stops revealed a rare find and the real reason for this post. Which I am sure on a knitting blog you are wondering why so much about games Kudumisvarras (Estonian Reproduction Knitting Needles from tomb relics from the 13th century)

Taylor and his wife from UK took one of the last booths. They specialize in creating items for people who compete in Historical Reenactment contest. This is where all your items that you carry on your person are graded on a scorecard. Hidden in one of their showcases were dpn knitting needles. They were reproduced from a pair that was found in an Estonian tomb last year from the 13th century. They are made of bronze and are somewhere between US 00 and US 000. They mineral compound is accurate to the day and they are exactly the same lengths and size as the original. With one needle much longer and some of the tips bent. They do though leave the surfaces so that items are usable. All items that they make are made from historical equipment as well.

I have already test knit with them and love the weight and balance. The one negative is definitely how sharp the tips seem to be. I may need to knit with a band - aid on. This just proves you never know what you are going to find and where you will find it.

Estonian Lace by Faina Letoutchaia Folk Knitting in Estonia by Nancy Bush

kitty: finding the perfect tool

Do you ever get that feeling that every knitting manufactureare just jumping on the band wagon to introduce the next knitting needle? Just look at the lighted needles that Kpixie just listed on there site or the recent introduction by Knit Picks (reviews) new needle line. As a students of knitting we all try to choose and interpret all the equipment we can get our hands on. Equipment that will allow us to perform basic knitting stitches and processes; to perfect our gauge. Points that will allow us to grip small stitches, but points that wont split our yarns. It is a balancing act and how do you decide. If you love Addi's will you love there DP? If you love bamboo, who's bamboo do you choose? To be honest I am in total aw of the Needle Whore (Grumperina's) collection of all the possibilities. Here is my collection of DPN's that I collected in hopes of finding the perfect US size 1's. (Note all needles pictured below are not 1's)

A: Brittany - comp - avail B: Aero - C: Chiao Goo - comp - avail D: Skacel Steel - comp E: Skacel Bamboo - comp F: Phildar - comp G: Comfort Zone - comp & avail H: Fiddle Sticks - avail I: Inox - avail J: Takumi - Clover - comp K: Susan Bates - comp L: Bryspun - comp M: Ace - Red Top

A: Knitters Review I know my friend Mia swears by the Brittany needles. She found out that they actually do stand by there claims of replacement when you break a needle. I didn't really care for the perfectly blunt tip, though I did like the fact that there was little or no increases ridge from tip to body of the needle.

B: Vintage - From what I can tell the company merged with Inox They are really heavy needles. Certainly a negative for long knitting secessions.

C: ChiaGoo are made from Chinese Moso bamboo. The needles have a lovely tapered shape and a rounded tip. For better or worse the needle size is permanently laser-marked on the needle. I have a set of DPN's and circulars; the circulars are amazing but the dpn's with the laser marking snag on my yarn every row. Even with sand paper they grew annoying and to prevent the yarn from touching the markings I ended up warping my needles. It is so sad, because I loved the points and they are cheap. I would probably order another pair to try since the tips are so nice. The circular needles are great though. I am in love with the tips, the cords are a little stiff, but atleast they don't twist out of control.

D: I only have them in 0 - 00 - 000, and really should you judge a needle by those extreme sizes. I think not.

E: I absolutely adore the Skacel Bamboo needles, the problem though is that the US size 1's that I have measure to be close to US size 2's. I am not sure if it was a fluke and my needles just got miss packaged or if they suffer the Japanese Clover odd sizing issue.

F: Vintage - New ones are available on the Phildar site, but the tips look different. You need to click on La Boutique du Fil > Fils & Aiguilles > Aiguilles

G: I first found out about the Comfort Zone needles from Allison, The Blue Blog. She recommended the needles when she was posting about needle recommendations for sockapalooza. At the time they were doing an intro pack where there was a discount if you bought them all (size 3-8) so I went ahead and picked them all up. Now they are available in US 0 - 10.5. The plastic isn't as nice as the Japanese Clover circular's but they are nice and flexible with little or no wear on the hands. A few of the ones I have do have a cast line which really hurts the tips of your fingers after awhile of knitting.

H: If you are looking for a needle that may drawl blood while knitting, look no further. I have never seen needles that were this sharp.

I: Knitter's Review - These get a Gold Star from Me These needles are fast, slippery (coated with the same durable gray material as there circulars), rounded yet a distinct well defined taper tips. I do notice that my stitches are a little tighter on these dpn's but I really liked the fabric that it created. Down side - The needles are not marked so you need to keep you needle gauge handy.

J: Knitter's Review - I know people just love clover needles. I guess for me it just boils down to the fact that I just wish I could buy there plastic line that is available in Japan. They are nice needles but they are not my favorite clovers. I am fickle what can I say.

K: The Susan Bates ended up being my second favorite needle in the group. I hate there circular's or straights, but there DPN's have some nice qualities. Well except for the fact they only sale 4 needles instead of 5. They have little or no ridge, nice tips, and are dirt cheap. I picked mine up for 2.75 a packet.

L: Knitter's Review - In my opinion, it makes a great cable needle. They are just to soft for me. I guess I have way to tight of a grip to knit with them.

M: Vintage - I have a great weakness for ACE needles. Though once they merged with Red Top the quality really went down and the points became really odd. Like the Brittany needles they have little or no increase ridge from the tip to the body. They are very pointy, but they have blunt end tips. Great for small stitches but not to sharp the split yarns.

So, after basically wearing out my yarn with the ribbing of these socks I cast on with my Inox needles. From now on I will be either buying the Inox, Skackel Bamboo if I can test there size prior to buying, or the comfort zone plastic needles. And if I can find any vintage ACE neel My quest is over! I have finally decided on what DPN’s to buy from now on. I know needles are a very personal choice, so maybe the market can bare more options. It is just becoming a very crouded market.

Kitty: Help on Knitting Needle Conversions

Several months ago, I purchased several sets of knitting needles, crochet hooks, and odds and in from the UK. Since then I have been going crazy trying to keep it strait whether they are new metric or old uk knitting needles. Then to confuse the situation, I started picking up Japanese needles as well. Yes I have two needle guides, but several of the needles just don't fit any of the gauges. So I wondered why and started to do research. I have compiled four charts; Aluminum or plastic Crochet Hooks, Steel Crochet Hooks, Modern Knitting Needles (US, UK, Japan, and Metric), and Old Knitting Needles (US, UK, and Metric) . It looks like the UK has changed there crochet and knitting needle size standard 4 times through history. I could only find concrete reference to what is considered old UK and Modern UK. So if you see any problems or know of any additions that I should add. Please let me know. Conversion Charts

Kitty: WOHO 118in of ruffles

Well as MeowGirl had eluded, the ruffle scarf has been done for awhile. WOHO.... 118 inches of ruffles using 4 skeins of yarn. This scarf really is amazing to knit; fast, easy, and wondrous. I can see why everyone is going crazy for ruffles. Though several people who have seen it really think it takes on a more organic intestines feeling than ruffles. Either way our first Knit Buddies project is complete.

I was really trying to have it complete up until the last brown section before MeowGirl to finish it before she went back to Berkeley, but alas she had to work on the second to last stripe the night she left. I thought it would have been great since she started it to have finished it. But alas my plans were not a reality.

Could it also be I have finally found a complete set of the clover plastic needles? Look at those colours. Look how cute. Ok I am in love with my needles I admit it. I even ordered sock yarn today. I figured if I own the perfect sock needles I should knit myself a pair of socks. Now I really regret not signing up for sockapalooza. But I have to honest Sweet Georgia's socks have taken me over the edge in ordering yarn.

Please let us know what you think of the needles. Do you lovethem, are you upset they have been discontinued?

I googled until I found one store that was still had them in stock. Marr Haven Wool Farm

They were great! The needles arrived quickly and with a really nice note about the store/farm. I was also really interest when I was reading the review about there yarn. As you know Organic yarn is a major source of interest for both MeowGirl and myself. I don't know about you but I really don't need any more chemicals in my life. And after 2 years of Textile Chemistry and

3 years of Organic Chem I really don't need to know any more about the chemicals I am wearing. Check out the link to see the yarn. I just wrote them back and they were nice enough to say they would send me a colour sample. YEAH!

Kitty: Discontinued

So why I ask you are the cutest and the most practical needles in the world being discontinued in the US market? They are green. Who wouldn't love there unicast plastic loveliness.

I had always been really curious about these needles, but I really didn't have a reason to own an 8 inch needle. I have not joined in on the sock craze yet. MeowGirl though was looking for a 12 inch 3's right before she left Ohio. She couldn't find them and I had a coupon at JoAnn's so I was doing the craft store run before she left to try to find her needles. Then I found out the horrible news. I had JoAnns look up Clover needles in there special order book and they were listed as DISCONTINUED. The horror flashed before my face, "Had I waited to long to pick them up? Would I never own a cute little unicast needle in a lovely colour? Would I never own a colour coded Japanese needle period?" So I went to a real yarn store that I knew carried Clover and checked her little basket where they lived. She only had one 22cm size 10. I had to find the owner to check immediately what was the true US fate of these needles. "DISCONTINUED." She informed me that she tried to order a box of each size just last week only to be informed that they had been DISCONTINUED. She was surprised since so many of her sock customers use the 8 inch to avoid double points and there is no other option in the US needle world. Clover smallest size now is a 16 inch.

I quickly stood in line for 30 minutes to purchase my little prize. (This is her big once a year yarn sale.) I knew MeowGirl would be upset as well with the news. I also had to inform her that I failed to find her 3's so no airplane knitting for her tomorrow.

So how does it really knit is probably your next question. Many have reported there fears of something so small being like knitting with your finger tips. They are small, but you really don't feel it when you knit. I knitted a small swatch and my tension was very uniform and had no issues with the size. MeowGirl though wanted the real test how did they work for knitting in the round? So she cast on an entire needle full of stitches. A few minutes latter she was knitting away and in total love. She though they were much easier to knit with then my 12" Addi Turbo's that I used for the gloves. I must agree, it is so nice that they are unicast and that the connector is larger so the stitches flow easily around the needle. They are very slick and have really nice pointed tips. A major plus in my book. Also the bend angle isn't as sharp and for some reason feels more comfortable.

WHY HAVE THESE BEEN DISCONTINUED???????

Also here is a photo of new additions to the stash. Some Blue Sky Alpaca Organic Cotton and Trendsetter Yarns Bloom that I found on sale. I couldn't resist.

kitty: knitting and advent what a good day

yeah, mom made my christmas holiday once again. i am not really sure if she knows how much joy she brings me each december when i get to count off the days till christmas. she has been doing it all my life, but i always have this great fear that she will forget or think i am too old. i hope she never forgets that i will always be her kid. i always start to cry when my envelope arrives. this is what marks the holidays for me! woho this year i got an added gift a patons needle gauge. thanks more than you know mom.

Kitty: They're Here

	[BONUS: Knitting Needles from UK arrived]

Yeah, my knitting needles just arrived from the UK. In hopes to save money I decided to try to win a bid on ebay for the knitting needles that my mom recommended since the ones that I knitted with as a child had changed formula and she no longer liked them. So Inox was what I set out to bid on. Well the UK dealer ended up having two other set for sale, so I figured that they filled in some of the spaces in the Inox set so I might as well try since it would be better to pay shipping for three vs one and another at a later date. So now I need to wash them and organize them, but I am very happy.Maybe Santa will find me a good needle case for christmas.

Aero Knitting Needles and Accessories. Sizes are in Metric. 6,1/2 mm x 2. 7 mm x 1. 3,3/4mm x 1. 7,1/2 mm x 1. 4,1/2 mm x 1.5 mm x 1. 3,1/2 mm x 1. Crochet Hooks 5 mm x 2. 3 mm x 1. 3 1/2 mm x 1. 5,1/2 mm x 1. 3 mm x 1. Double point 3,1/4 mm x 3. 2,3/4 mm x 1. 4 mm x 1. 3 mm x 1. Circular Twin Pin 3,1/4 mm x 1. 4 mm x 1. 1 Stitch Holder.

Inox Knitting Needles and Accessories. Sizes are in Metric.Needles 5 mm x 1. 4.5 mm x 1. 6.5 mm x 1 10 mm x 1. 12 mm x 1. 4 mm x 1 6 mm x 1. 5.5 mm x 1. 3.25 mm x 2. 2.75 mm x 2. Crochet Hooks (long) 5.5mm x 1. 6 mm x 1. 7 mm x 1. Afghan Hooks 10 mm x 1. 8 mm x 1. 2 Stitch Holders.

Red Top Knitting Needles and Accessories.( Someare Ace ) Sizes are in Metric. Needles 3.75 mm x 1. 7.50 mm x 1. 6.50 mm x 2.5.50 mm x 2 . 5 mm x 3. 4.50 mm x 1. 3.25 mm x 2. 2.75 mm x 1. Double point2.75 mm x 1. 2.25 mm x 1. 3.25 mm x 1. 3.75 mm x 1. + Zip up Needle Case.